Author's Note:
Dearest readers, thank you for your patience during this ongoing adventure. As of right now we are staying on new chapters every two weeks. Thank you and enjoy today's installment!
Sincerely,
~ Sparks
ADVISORY:The following chapter contains sensitive material relating to: Violence and traumatic episodes. Remember to practice self care before, during, and after reading.
Chapter: Operation: Nighthawk
- ACCESSING IMPERIAL NETWORK -
IHC: Imperial High Command to carrier designation Trident.
Talee: This is Admiral Talee of the Trident. Proceed, High Command.
IHC: Status report.
Talee: We are enroute to the Archeon Nebula now. Be on standby for fighter pickup.
IHC: Copy, admiral. We-xxxxxxxxxxX
XxxxxX
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
*SIGNAL INTERCEPTED*
Rebel Alliance Intelligence: Holy kriff. We've got a hit. Get Mon Mothma on...Now!
Mon Mothma: Is it happening?
Rebel Alliance Intelligence: Confirmed cruiser enroute to the Archeon Nebula as we speak. It's now or never.
Mon Mothma: Well well. It looks like we're on. Princess Leia, you may proceed.
Leia Organa: Attention special units. Commence Operation: Nighthawk.
Floating through a position in Wild Space, the Rebel Fleet prepared to change course. As plans were coordinated from intelligence officers to their superiors, the crew of Home One was on edge. It was easy to make plans. Easy to create entire strategies behind striking against the Empire. But putting said schemes into action was an entirely different beast. Rebels tried to forget about the Empire's retaliatory attacks, but those lost always found a way back into memory. It'd been years since the Battle of Hoth, and many officers still carried the weight of those casualties on their shoulders. Still, every Rebel knew that their only hope was a course of action. Stagnation would breed defeat, and acting was their only source of liberation. With Princess Leia heading the mission, Operation: Nighthawk was underway.
Leia had proven to be an effective leader through multiple Imperial entanglements. She was as much a spy as she was a soldier. Leia had her father's heart, and carried it into every inspiring deed. She wasn't afraid to make tough calls, even if they meant costing her valuable assets. Even if she had to deny someone a mission, she preferred to do so in person out of respect.
The princess made her way to Home One's medbay, all while multitasking on her wrist comm. She confirmed a squadron for battle before powering down and entering the sect. Medical droids buzzed atop bubbling bacta tanks as soldiers healed from battle. Kristoff and Anna were finishing their second soak under the worried eyes of Elsa and Tiana. The eldest Dellian kept a hand pressed against her sister's tank, as if willing the Force to help heal her.
"Anna," Elsa beckoned. "How are you-"
"I'm fine," her sister snapped and immediately regretted it. "I'm-...sorry. I just...need a second."
"I understand," Elsa professed. While both had been badly injured from their mission, at least Kristoff seemed less fazed. He and Elsa exchanged concerned glances. "Tiana and I should've been there," she lamented. "I'm sorry-"
"Elsa," Anna pushed. "Please just stop. I know you mean well, but what's done is done."
"But if we'd just been there-"
"Then you'd be dead," Anna answered. "Seriously Elsa. I know you're concerned, but think about this for a moment. If he beat Kristoff and I, you and Tiana wouldn't have stood a chance. Not after-" Elsa hung her head, regrettably knowing Anna's words to be true and thinking of her...episode. Their ruminating halted when Tiana glimpsed Leia first.
"Princess," the apprentice greeted.
"At ease," Leia was quick to tell the group. "How are you feeling?"
"We'll be back at it before you know it," Kristoff assured.
"We're fine," Anna doubled down. "You wouldn't be here unless something was going down. What is it, your Highness?"
Leia sucked her teeth. "Operation: Nighthawk is a go-"
Anna bolted upright, startling her medical droid and sending bacta splattering off her body. "The TIE heist!" she gasped. Her droid continuously tried to restrain her as she rose from her seat. "Give us fifteen minutes and we'll be ready."
"Anna..." Elsa murmured.
"That won't be necessary," Leia said. "It is my responsibility to ensure that the operation is a complete success. In your conditions, I cannot jeopardize the mission."
Anna rapidly shook her head. "Princess," she spoke upon clearing her throat. Choosing her tone wisely, she opted for a calm approach. "I need you to believe me when I say that I'm alright. My big sister might be concerned, but even she knows I've been through much worse than a capture."
"Even if that is true," Elsa warned. "Maybe Leia is right, Anna. You need recovery regardless."
"This mission has been floating in base meetings for months. It's finally happening and now I'm going to sit it out? I don't think so!" Anna returned her attention to Leia. "You need a Jedi to-" Her heart sank when the princess looked to Elsa and Tiana. "With all due respect," Anna continued while gesturing to the duo. "That would be doing a disservice to the Alliance and them. A heist will require whatever it takes to remain undetected. And in my experience, a lot of killing tends to accompany such a feat. While I've come to acknowledge Elsa's no-kill rule, it would jeopardize your mission. And Tiana is...well...still training!"
"You know..." Kristoff grunted. "I can push through as well." Anna flashed him an approving nod while Leia crossed her arms.
"According to reports, you two arrived at Home One barely conscious. Even with your injuries healed, do you feel like you can handle the combat stress?"
Anna smiled faintly. "Absolutely. I grew up around it." Her head snapped to Elsa, as she knew there was going to be a counter. "Please," she genuinely pleaded. "Trust me to know myself. I'm alright-"
"You haven't even talked about it," Elsa persisted. "Just knowing that Hans was there-"
"He's irrelevant," Anna huffed. She tightly shut her eyes and shook her head. As if deterring any thoughts regarding Hans. His words were like venomous spikes searching for any opening in her mind. "Leia," she asserted. "We both know how deadly the IHC has been to the Alliance. How many bases have been exposed and missions failed because of its communication network. Please, let me help you take it down."
Leia took a deep breath. "Can you guarantee me that you are okay for this operation-"
"I am," Anna answered before Leia could even finish. "I just need to get my uniform on and I'm ready. We're ready if Kristoff's in too."
"You've been one of the Alliance's top fighters. I have faith in you, Anna." Leia professed. "You'd better prove me right."
"Absolutely, princess." Anna saluted and rushed to get ready.
Leia gave Anna and Kristoff their designated time for briefing. As she departed, Elsa kept insisting. "Anna, let me come with you. I was a fool not to be there for-"
"Sis," Anna assured and took Elsa by the hand. "I know you're worried. But I need you to trust me like Leia does. Let me redeem myself. Not that our last mission was a failure. One of the Inquisitors is dead and we rescued the Jedi."
"I will be willing the Force to protect you for the entirety of your mission," Elsa said. "Tiana and I will both meditate." Her apprentice raised a brow, unsure over Elsa's method. "What did happen to the Jedi you saved?"
"She's barely spoken since the escape," Anna professed. "I'm not sure how she wants to go about all of this."
Anna had done her best to free her mind of the previous mission. Sitting alongside Kristoff and battle-hardened Rebels helped her stay present in the moment. At least until he started asking questions. "You sure you're okay?" Kristoff whispered.
"Yes," Anna whispered sharply back. "We need to focus."
Leia entered the briefing room and surveyed her team. "Operation: Nighthawk is underway," the princess declared as holograms projected before her. "Thanks to transmissions intercepted by our intelligence teams, we know the Imperial cruiser Trident is going to pass through the Archeon Nebula. Its cargo consists of row upon row of unmarked TIE fighters, assumably for covert missions." Leia waved a hand over the ship's schematic. "Those TIEs are crucial to the Rebellion's success, as they will be used to infiltrate Imperial High Command. If we can successfully locate and destroy the IHC, we'll deal a crucial blow to the Empire's means of communication. The success of this mission could mean victory over the Empire and an end to the war." Relief and motivation filled the teams' hearts as Leia carried on. "Fighter teams will clear a path into the nebula and disable the Trident. Once the engines are down, our strike team will board the cruiser and steal one TIE per person. That in itself would be enough for victory. Once clear, send the cruiser adrift into the nebula and erase all evidence of the attack."
Millen tustled his spiky brown hair. "I bet I can secure a TIE before you," he teased Kristoff.
"Don't count on it," the captain retorted.
"Remember," Leia continued and brought the team to silence again. "Pilots disabling the Trident will have to do so with laser cannons only. No proton torpedoes, as they can ignite gas clouds in the nebula. As for those boarding. Use whatever means you must to secure the fighters, however they need to be unscathed. Any evidence that they were stolen will compromise the entire mission." Leia stood tall, hoping that her beliefs would carry into her listeners. "It's now or never, team. Watch each other's backs, and may the Force be with you."
Raya could've stared into the vacuum of space for hours. She sat atop stacked crates in the hangar and ran her fingers along her saber's hilt. She watched the Rebel strike team depart, but squinted as a sense came over her. Detecting Elsa and Tiana, she glanced over her shoulder and offered them a nod.
"It's Raya, right?" Elsa asked as the Jedi nodded again. "My late master spoke of you in the days of the Republic." Elsa's words only made Raya clench up. "She said she was one of the Jedi who helped you find your father."
Still thinking of Benja had Raya's lip quivering. "What's done is done," she answered. "Where were you, back then?"
Elsa furrowed her brows in deep thought. "I-...I don't remember," she admitted. "It had been so long ago that-"
Raya scoffed. "You said your late master. How often did you leave her behind?"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Raya snapped and spun from the crates. "Wherever you were, I'm sure you thought you could just...trust that she'd be safe. That she'd be back every time. Because people like her and my father are invincible in our eyes, right? Until they aren't." Elsa raised a brow at Raya's brashness. "That was your sister I saw getting on that ship?" Elsa's grim silence made Raya scowl. "How dare you. When I saved your sister and that lug beside her, they were on death's doorstep. And you just let them go back into it all. Based on what? Trust?"
"The Force will protect her," Elsa defended.
"Keep telling yourself that," Raya grumbled and dropped off of the crates. "I want the first ship out of here."
"You're not staying to help the Alliance?" Tiana questioned.
"I don't know the first thing about this Rebellion," Raya answered. "And they don't know me. There could be a hundred motives, all of which don't interest me."
"If you change your mind," Elsa sighed. "The Path is always looking to help people like us. Call to them and they'll find you." Elsa's words seemingly fell on deaf ears as Raya rejected a comlink and kept walking. "Come on, Tiana," she urged instead. "We will call to the Force to protect Anna and Kristoff."
"Elsa," her apprentice considered. "Maybe Raya's right."
Elsa's eyes widened in astonishment. "How can you say that?" she asked. "After everything the Force has shown you-"
"I'm just saying that maybe willing for things to be okay isn't enough," Tiana asserted. "I know you are deeply connected to the Force, but maybe there is such a thing as...too much. I've seen what it's done to you before."
Elsa glowered as memories of her episode pierced within. "I had a moment of weakness," she professed. "After years of repelling the Dark Side, I didn't realize how fragile I'd become. When I lost Taka, I lost control. That won't happen again." Elsa bit her lip as Tiana averted her gaze. "Tiana," she beckoned. "I promise."
Admiral Shan Talee had grown paranoid in silence. Standing at the Trident's bridge, he kept a watch on the stellar nursery before him. His black soul patch shifted continuously as he grit his teeth. Yet while anxiety pried at him, the admiral kept himself ready. He'd seen every stage of the Galactic Civil War since the first sparks. His endeavors had included managing frigates in several sects of the Imperial Navy. With each accomplished mission, Talee hoped there'd be a Star Destroyer his future. But the Empire constantly had an alternate motive for him. For years, the admiral would manage supply runs across 'dangerous' spacelanes. His flights went unchallenged, usually because the real fighting was lightyears away. Talee hungered for battle, yet never found it. Bitter but emboldened, Talee found comfort in covert operations.
Imperial High Command had vast connections throughout the entire war machine. However, only a select group of officials were aware of its highly classified location. Talee took pride in the knowledge entrusted to him. He cherished the TIEs in his care as if he'd crafted them himself. While the Archeon Nebula had proved frightening upon first flight, routine travels had honed Talee's skills. He'd grown to respect the fiery phenomenon as they'd flown alongside it. "Report," Talee beckoned his deck officer.
"Shields up at maximum, sir."
Talee offered a dutiful nod to his staff. "Take us closer to the nebula. We don't want any spacers getting ideas."
As the Trident cruised beside the nebula, its shields were tested in the blaze. While those aboard monitored the damage, several ships emerged from hyperspace. These brief, yet powerful blips had the deck officer immediately investigating. Talee raised a brow as the woman left her post. His gaze followed her to the starboard viewport, until he too saw the raiding party.
"Sir!" the officer brayed. "Rebel ships closing in!"
Talee was a well-maintained machine. With deep breaths and a steady heart rate, he issued his commands. "Maintain course. Prime the laser cannons and prepare to fire." His calmness passed like a wave over his teams as they unanimously obliged.
The Rebel raiders closed in on their target. From the command bridge of a Nebulon B Frigate, Leia observed the Trident. "Launch fighters," she said. "Break the shields and target those engines."
On her orders, five ships exited the frigate's hangar. Two X-wings, a Y-wing bomber, an A-wing interceptor, and the Nomad took formation. "All wings on me," Kristoff said as he primed his laser cannons. "Focus the engines and we'll crack that shield in no time. Remember, no missiles!"
"Good to finally have a flight mission with you, captain." Millen teased from his A-wing. "Took you long enough."
"Take it to them!" one of the X-wing pilots said before unleashing a quadruple laser barrage.
Together, the ships opened fire while those aboard the frigate prepared their boarding party. The echoes of such repeated blasts could be heard even from the hangar. Several explosions had Anna's hand tremoring. She was quick to clench it and caught a Rebel soldier eyeing her. "You...okay?" she asked.
"Yes," Anna snapped. "All good."
"Fire!" Admiral Talee finally brought his voice to a shout. And with it came wave upon wave of green lasers. The Trident's cannons vividly lit up alongside the flaring nebula. While the Rebels were able to dodge the first wave, one of the X-wing's was struck directly in the cockpit. Its pilot could barely get a word out before being vaporized into space.
"Alpha 2 is down!" Millen yelled over comes.
"Stay on target," Kristoff commanded. "That shield is almost broken." The Rebels kept weaving away from enemy cannons, and used any free moment to return fire.
"Orders sir?" the Imperial officer questioned.
Talee weighed his options and realized the Rebels had backed him into a corner. If the Trident stayed on course, Rebel fire and the nebula itself would deplete its shields. And with all power diverted to defense, the laser cannons would need time to energize again. If Talee ordered them into the nebula, the shields would burn away in a matter of minutes. Leaving the nebula altogether meant they'd have to take the Rebels head on. Unwilling to compromise his cargo, Talee chose to stay the course. "Push forward," he said. "Gunners, I want those Rebels turned to ash."
It challenged every instinct for the Y-wing bomber to not use his proton ammunition. His craft's lasers were weak, but any amount of attack helped. Kristoff made another pass in the Nomad. As he fired into the Trident, he noticed the shield's briefly flickering. While performing a readout of the ship's exterior, he saw that the engines had been specifically fortified. "Ma'am," Kristoff called to Leia. "We're going to lose our window if we keep targeting the engines. It's exactly what the Empire anticipated. We've got to hit the hangar."
Leia craned her neck and analyzed the situation. "The boarding team will have to be fast," she said. "But the Empire won't jump to lightspeed if they're boarded. Alright, captain. Let's do it. All wings...focus on the hangar! Boarding shuttle, deploy now!"
Realizing they were pressed for time, the Rebels quickly changed course and fired on the hangar. Kristoff kept checking his dashboard scanners to see how far out the boarding transport was. "Keep hitting it!" he grunted and pushed the Nomad's cannons to the point of overheating. The Y and X-wing finished their respective passes.
"Come on," Millen whispered and ignited his A-wing's afterburners. The sleek, compact fighter zoomed under the Trident. And with a final spray of lasers, the shields were disabled. "Woo-hoo!" Millen cheered.
"Shields are down!" the deck officer started to panic.
Noticing the Rebels' new point of interest, Talee issued his counter. "All troopers to the hangar. Prepare to be boarded." While remaining at his post, Talee observed the flashing distress signal he'd subtly triggered.
While the remaining fighters kept the laser cannons busy, the Rebel shuttle swept beneath the Trident. It hadn't even fully entered the hangar yet, and stormtroopers were already opening fire. As the lasers bombarded its outer hull, Anna felt her chest tightening up. She tried to quell it with a deep breath, only it never came. It was as if invisible needles were crawling up and prickling her trembling arm. She shook it off as she felt the shuttle land. As if in some form of trance, Anna knocked on the Rebel trooper's helmet closest to her. Although bewildered, the soldier didn't have time to question Anna's actions.
The hatch dropped and the first row of Rebels were immediately gunned down. Stormtrooper fire scorched into them even after they'd already toppled over. "Jedi to the front!" one of the Rebels yelled over blasterfire.
Realizing she'd completely missed her cue, Anna rushed to the ramp. She was so out of it, that she didn't realize she'd just cost four people their lives. Instead she stepped over the bodies and ignited her lightsaber. As she deflected incoming shots, the rest of the boarding party charged from behind her. Anna hit a blast into one of the shooters. She watched as the scarlet beam burned a hole in his helmet. The trooper fell dead and yet Anna was transfixed on his burning headgear. The sight of scorched...lifeless plastoid. She thought about how many clone troopers had lost their lives. Blazer, Speedy, and Sparx's faces returned to her mind's eye. And in that distraction, another Rebel was shot.
"We're taking heavy losses!" a soldier called in. "We can't push up!"
"Anna," Leia asserted. "You've got to secure the advance."
Heeding her orders, Anna swung her saber again. She retained formation as the Imperials kept up their defense. Anna rushed the nearest trooper and slashed across his body. The ensuing hit severed his utility belt, and caused brief sparks to flash from it. Anna focused on those electric bolts, and winced when she thought of Hans. Even her long-forgotten torture by Count Dooku returned to plague her. Anna's hands started shaking uncontrollably and she couldn't keep a steady grip on her lightsaber.
"Advance!" A Rebel yelled. The boarding party took cover behind a stack of crates. "We're ready for the next push," he told Anna. "Charge-" The soldier stammered upon seeing Anna's state. The Jedi had deactivated her weapon, and was hunched into a shivering ball behind cover. Her fingers coiled around her knees while she maintained an unblinking, wild-eyed stare. The Rebel's attention flipped when he heard several yelps behind him. The stormtroopers had taken out two more of their squadmates. Realizing they were outmatched without Anna's support, the soldier called in. "Princess, we need to fall back."
"What?" Leia uttered. "Soldier, report-"
"We're losing too many!" he panicked. "We can't take the hangar."
Leia's heart raced as she watched distant blasts from her viewport. Despite her hopeful heart, she knew the offensive had proven fruitless. Unsure what had become of Anna, Leia had to make a split decision. Valuing the lives of her team against a suicide mission, she hung her head and made the call. "Pull everyone out. Fall back." There was a somber pause after her orders, pushing for her to continue. "Soldier, get your teams back to me right now. Fighters, regroup and fall back. Full retreat." Leia clenched a fist at her side, loathing over the Alliance's defeat.
Following their orders, the boarding party retreated to their shot-up shuttle. Without Anna to provide proper cover, several soldiers took blasts to the back. "What's going on in there?" was all Kristoff could ask before a Star Destroyer thundered out of hyperspace.
"Imperial reinforcements!" Millen warned.
"Full retreat," Kristoff echoed Leia's command over comms. "Protect the shuttle!"
The Rebel boarding craft wobbled out of that forsaken hangar. TIE fighters had already been dispatched and were preparing to fire. A single barrage was enough to decimate whatever was left of the shuttle's shields. Before they could take another hit, Millen accelerated to attack speed. Only instead of fighting back, he curved his A-wing to be directly behind the shuttle. His valiant maneuver saved those onboard...at the cost of his own ship. Millen's muffled scream was snuffed out as the TIE blasts obliterated him.
"No!" Kristoff shouted from the cockpit as the remaining ships fled. They barely had time for landing procedures, and screeched into the hangar with TIEs close behind. The Y-wing wasn't as fast as its X-wing counterpart, and Imperial laserfire struck its port vents. The Y-wing exploded just as the frigate sealed its bulkhead doors. "We're all that's left," Kristoff panted. "Make the jump!"
Leia shook her head with grief before ordering her staff. "Jump to lightspeed. Now!" The frigate didn't hesitate to leave the system. It boomed off into hyperspace, with its strike team decimated and not a single stolen TIE to show for it.
BEHIND THE SCREENS FROZEN FORCE TRIVIA
1. Fanfiction reference: The character of Admiral Shan Talee is a reference to an Imperial of the same name in my first Star Wars fanfic "The Last Nite Owl" (2016). While probably outdated and inaccurate by today's standards, the story is available for reading on !
2. Film reference: The massacre of this failed mission is a subtle reference to "Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi" (2017). In the film's opening sequence, Leia watches as Poe Dameron gets multiple members of the Resistance killed. If we're staying true to canon, the events of this chapter show Leia what poor leadership decisions yield in the heat of battle. She'll go on to carry that experience as a general for the Resistance.
3. Story note: Anna knocks on one of the soldier's helmets during her traumatic episode. This is a reference to how she used to knock on the Deathchaser's helmets before battle.
Author's note: Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter of "The Frozen Force." I'll see you Friday, April 4th for Chapter: 156 - "Suspended."
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you,
~ Sparks